The big day is slowly approaching, and one of the biggest things on your mind is: “How do I choose the right wedding gown?” Choosing a wedding dress has to be one of the most stressful parts of planning a wedding. You want to look beautiful for your wedding day, obviously, but picking the right dress may also depend on your budget, since a wedding gown can be very expensive. You may also have a hard time finding the perfect dress for your body type.

As a young girl, you may have imagined what it would be like to walk down the aisle in a long, beautiful white dress. You may have even played make-believe wedding with your dress up clothing and a teddy bear groom. While having some parts of your childhood dream wedding may be unrealistic, finding a dress that is beautiful while suiting your style, fitting your budget and flattering your figure, is not. Here are a few tips you can use to find that dream dress!

Tip One: Work with your body.

The first step in finding your wedding gown is to get a basic idea of what you like. This is what those expensive bridal magazines you find in the supermarket are really good for. If you buy a couple of those and peruse through them, you will start to get some idea of what you like when it comes to a wedding gown. You need to keep in mind that your figure may not be the same as the model’s, so here are some ideas for what types of wedding gowns flatter what figure.

Bottom Heavy

If you are larger through your hips and buttocks, then you should look for a wedding gown that emphasizes your upper body. A full skirt is great for making the shape look clean. A corset-style bodice that has lacing is great to draw the eye to the upper body. Try to avoid pleats or gathering around the waist of the gown.

Large Busted

If your assets are grand in your bust, then you should look for an off-the-shoulder gown. This style emphasizes the shoulders and tends to minimize the bust. Try to avoid the full skirt and instead look for a narrow skirt. A full skirt will make you look larger on both top and bottom.

Petite

If you are a petite woman, you should avoid sheath-style dresses or full skirts. These will hide your curves and make you look heavier than you are. Instead go for an a-line dress or a cap-sleeve. With sleeveless, remember that at some point you will be lifting your arms to kiss your new husband, and, on slender women, strapless wedding dresses tend to slide down.

Full-Figured

The best dress for a full-figured woman is an A-line. The A-line lengthens the entire body without drawing attention to the waistline. An empire waist is another good style for full-figured women, as it also draws attention to the assets and flatters the figure. Many full-figured women try to cover up as much skin as they can, but unless you are getting married in a strict religious ceremony, do not be afraid to show some skin. Once again, it’s about flattering the assets as much as possible.

Tip Two: Consider your purchasing options.

Once you’ve found which style of a dress you’d like, you need to figure out where you want to purchase your dress. While most people jump automatically to a bridal shop, others take more unconventional methods, and their wedding dresses turn out just as beautiful.

For the conventional bridal shop appointment, it is good to be prepared and to have a good idea of what is going to happen during your initial consultation. Try to enjoy the fact that you are going to have a one-on-one sales experience. Because bridal assistants have received so much training, they are very capable of putting you in a beautiful dress that suits you. In a way, you are a walking advertisement for them, so they do not want to put you in a dress that makes you look, or feel bad.

Tip Three: Try on your choices!

This is the fun part—trying on your choices! Bring someone with you whose opinion you trust, don’t bring just a “yes” man. While a “yes” man will make you feel good, you may end up with a dress that doesn’t suit you at all. Prepare to be trying on at least one wedding gown, which means that you should wear clean white underwear and bring a strapless bra, if you have one. If you plan on having your hair up, make sure you bring a clip or clasp so that you can put it up and get the full effect of the dress with the hair up. Most bridal salons will have shoes that you can wear during the initial trying on of dresses, so you should not have to worry about that.

Your first appointment is really for the sales personnel to get to know you and to see what you like. If you can bring a clipping of a dress that you like, do so, so they will be able to get a better idea of what you are looking for. The average initial consultant lasts around an hour and a half and is actually a lot more fun than you would think it is.

Tip Four: Remember that there will be alterations.

One of the reasons that an unconventional method of purchasing a wedding gown is so wonderful is that, unlike chain beauty salons, you can truly get the dress altered just for you. If you are having someone you know make the dress, she can take a design you like and add sleeves, or take sleeves off, or do whatever you wish for her to do.

Even if you do purchase a dress from a tradition shop, you can order alterations if you are not completely happy. Schedule your alterations to be done not long from when you’re actually getting married, especially if you haven’t picked out your shoes yet or if you’re trying to lose weight.

Tip Five: Consider the unconventional.

Here is a list of alternative places to find or make a dress that you may not think of at first.

Hire It

Hiring to have the dress made is good if you can find someone that you trust and whose prices are not through the roof. A professionally made personalized dress will definitely set you apart from other brides on your wedding day.

Second Hand

Some of the most gorgeous dresses are hand-me-downs from mothers or grandmothers. The older the dress, the more likely it is to be made of pure silk or satin, not to mention the history associated with the dress.

Making It Yourself

If you have any idea how to run a sewing machine competently, you can make your own dress. There are numerous patterns available both in bridal stores and online.

Unlikely Places

Some women find their wedding gowns at thrift stores and they can be absolutely gorgeous, while others order them online from an auction site. Do not dismiss these places simply because they are unconventional, but make sure you thoroughly check the dress out and read the fine print.

Having the most beautiful, perfect wedding gown for your wedding is not an impossible dream. As long as you figure out what you are looking for and keep your eyes open, it should be easier than walking down the isle and saying, “I do.” You can use these five tips to make your shopping easier so that you find the perfect dress for your body and budget!

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